02/24/2012

Shedding Light on Pebble's Shady Process

I know I have been dormant on this blog the past week or few, but this is a gem that must be shared. A story just aired in the AP, highlighting. . . drumroll. . . the failure of the Pebble Partnership to be open and transparent in their process of data collection and review, not to mention their lack of cooperation with state and federal agencies!

"Correspondence between state and federal agencies, obtained through a public records request by Trout Unlimited and provided to The Associated Press, shows frustration and sometimes doubt about the working groups Pebble established to provide expertise as the project moves toward the permitting phase."

While none of this is entirely surprising news, it is great to see it covered in the press. Read the full story at the link below. It is filled with some really quality quotes from agencies and from Pebble. One of my favorites is from Ken Taylor VP of Environmental Department:

Taylor called the deposit "a strategic national resource," saying the U.S. imports about 40 percent of its copper. The mine would be above Iliamna Lake, the largest producer of sockeye salmon in the world. Taylor said he'd be "gone in a heartbeat" if anything came up showing the project couldn't be developed in an environmentally responsible way.

Why is that one so special? Because it turns out, he is actually outgoing VP of Environment, his job is apparently open for hire!

(http://pebblepartnership.iapplicants.com/ViewJob-261327.html). . .

I guess maybe he is concerned about developing this mine in a responsible way afterall.